Preparing for Inspections

Every month, one week prior to Health & Safety Inspections, Resident Assistants post flyers throughout the University Village letting residents know the date and time of their Health & Safety Inspections. During the week of inspections, Resident Assistants check each room of each suite to ensure that all rooms meet health and safety standards. In addition, Resident Assistants and/or maintenance staff will inspect sanitation or maintenance issues to ensure that any problems within the suite are being addressed.

Health & Safety Inspections include visual checks of the entire room and/or suite. Does any room have a large amount of uncontrolled trash, dirty laundry, clutter, mold/bacteria, spoiled food/drink, or any pests such as rodents or insects? Have bathrooms been cleaned thoroughly and consistently to ensure safe and sanitary conditions in the suite? Have work requests been submitted and completed for damaged appliances or fixtures? Is there any university property that needs to be repaired?

There are several reasons for Health & Safety Inspections, but these three are the most important:

To help maintain and protect the condition of the University Village, including the prevention/documentation of damages or problems that may lead to damages over time.

To prevent rodent and pest infestations, mold or bacterial infections, or other issues that impact the health, safety, and quality of life for all residents of the University Village.

And most importantly…

To encourage residents to become engaged in maintaining the condition of their living environments, to learn processes related to maintaining a safe and clean environment, and to promote a better understanding of the responsibility of living alone or with peers. The main focus of Health & Safety Inspections is to prevent conflict among residents and encourage a positive, collaborative, and inspiring lifestyle on campus.

The following is a sample checklist of preparations that you will need to take prior to inspections each month. Remember, this is only a sample checklist!

Remove all trash/recyclables and properly dispose of them in the appropriate dumpsters located throughout the University Village.

Check smoke detectors in your suite to ensure that they are properly attached and operational. If smoke detectors are malfunctioning, submit a work order immediately at the front desk of either building.

Check electrical outlets, cords, and connections to ensure that they are not overloaded and that cords do not run under carpets, through bedding, or near water.

Check to ensure that nothing is blocking emergency egress or heating/ventilation units. (This means all doors should be able to open fully in your suite.)

Note any maintenance issues in your suite and report them to the front desk or to maintenance staff during inspections.

Properly wash, dry, and store laundry. Do not leave dirty laundry on the floor throughout your room/suite.

Pick up and organize belongings in your suite. If we can’t walk through your bedroom because of stuff on the floor, then it is a violation of emergency egress.

Make sure window guards and screens are installed on all windows. If you don’t have window guards, please let someone know at the front desk.

University property should be free of stickers, graffiti, stains, and unauthorized paint.

Clean up any spills, stains, or leftover food sitting around in your suite.

Look for areas with high concentrations of dust and clean them. (Check your fan blades.)

In the kitchen: dispose of spoiled food/drink, wipe down surfaces and appliances, wash and store dishes, and ensure food is properly stored.

In the bathroom: clean the toilet (including in and around the bowl), shower walls and basin, floors, countertops, sinks, and mirrors. Please remove any trash from the bathroom and vanity areas.

It’s perfectly fine for your suite to appear “lived-in”, we understand that this is your living space and that it’s not meant for constant display; however, it is expected that some effort will have been made to maintain a clean suite and that no health or safety violations are present. Inspections will only last a minute or two in each suite.